


Bloom

by changminsfairy



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Demons and Fairies, Face-Fucking, First Time, Forbidden Love, Love at First Sight, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, Vampires, anyway i love fantasy and characterizing everyone was very fun, fairycore, i had so much fun with this even tho shes a Beast, i hope i can write even more fairycore fics, it is my brand after all, my first jukev!!! WOOOOO
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:27:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29176401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/changminsfairy/pseuds/changminsfairy
Summary: A love that's not to be but nevertheless blooms all its own
Relationships: Lee Juyeon/Moon Hyungseo | Kevin
Comments: 13
Kudos: 75





	Bloom

**Author's Note:**

  * For [caihongs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/caihongs/gifts), [kreahbu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kreahbu/gifts).



> WOOOOOOOO THIS MONSTER IS DONEEEEE YAY!!! its almost 5am as i'm writing this so :D i really really wanted to finish it tho bc the inspiration really struck me!!!
> 
> i've dedicated this fic to two of my favorite beans on this planet~ i hope you enjoy my babies uwu
> 
> i also wanna give big shoutouts to han, blessie, ellie, nini, li, kawai, jordy, sarah, creme, connah, nova, nik, stella, mar, and mick!!! yall give me so so much serotonin and someway or another kept me going through this process <3 i love you all to bits and if you're reading this i really hope you enjoy!!!

+++

It starts on a bright morning, the wind whipping Juyeon's hair out of his face. The little wisps tickle his horns as he moves briskly on the castle grounds. His father has asked him to do a tedious favor, one that Juyeon knows is supposed to refine him for the throne. Juyeon isn't the biggest fan of doing favors that involve stepping foot into the outlands, but unfortunately if he wants to stay king-to-be, he has to go on official business. 

  
Signing papers and meeting dignitaries would normally be fine, but the residents of the enchanted forest-- _the outlands_ as demons referred to it--are never too pleased to have anyone from the forbidden forest in their territory. Especially not Juyeon, whose bloodline is comprised of the race that tried to wipe out the royals of the outlands. 

  
"Demons and fairies were never meant to cross paths anyway." Hyunjae says teasingly to him as he makes his way out that morning, his red hair sprawled against Juyeon's favorite gray sheets. Juyeon doesn't know how much he should believe the redhead--only that Hyunjae is the type to meticulously manipulate things in his favor. And for as long as he can remember, Juyeon _is_ his favor. And Hyunjae will stop at nothing to stay by Juyeon's side. 

  
He always said it was a good thing Juyeon never took any lovers. 

~~~

Juyeon wastes no time that morning. As soon as his servants open the door to his carriage, he flies across the too bright fields surrounding the Golden Castle. He spares but half a glance at the groundskeepers, careening straight for the large double doors that are already swung open for him. 

  
As he flies up the steps, the pixie maids that line the staircase on either side of him greet him monotonously. " _Such tiny things._ " he notes, as if he hasn't seen a pixie every time he's entered this castle. 

  
It's the brightness of the white marble walls and the vines that wrap gingerly around towering pillars that always makes him feel like he's been displaced into a completely different world. This castle exists in a polar opposite dimension than his own. And as his shoes click gingerly on the ivory floors, he feels heat rise all the way to the tips of his horns. _Embarassment_ \--the very emotion makes him bite the inside of his cheek. _What does he have to be ashamed of?_ But every time he's forced to be in this castle, he feels like he stands out like a dead rose among a colorful, blossoming garden. He can't help but remember the transgressions of his people before him and _such tiny things_ feel the need to hang his head. 

  
His father has told him countless times that leaders don't hang their heads unless they're admitting defeat, but Juyeon has never had the courage to tell him that they _were_ defeated. And that war was not too far off for Juyeon to have forgotten the day of reckoning they faced. 

  
The first and last time he'd ever seen his father lose at anything. 

  
His father is far too busy preparing him for the throne to ever mention the war, or the repercussions his actions had on the entirety of the dark forest. 

  
Nevertheless, Juyeon always comes here in his stead--to review and re-sign the Golden Treaty. Juyeon always meets with the current king and queen of the enchanted forest, and he's always a nervous wreck around them. He reaches the throne room in no time, immediately dropping into a 90 degree bow. 

  
King Hyungmyun, a large red-haired fairy with the warmest golden brown eyes Juyeon has ever seen, laughs heartily. "Come, Juyeon boy. You needn't do that every time."

  
Queen Aria, the tallest pixie woman Juyeon has ever encountered (reaching just under his shoulders), smiles and brushes some of her inky black hair from her eyes. He quickly bounds over to them, the nerves of being in the face of the two rulers who subdued his father getting to him. He trips on one of the carefully placed stones on the ground and would've fallen flat on his face had a set of hands not been there to stop him. 

  
He looks up to see the princess, a gorgeous pixie with wild red curls framing her face and clear blue eyes, holding him up--her tiny wings fluttering furiously. He pulls away immediately and bows. "I'm so sorry princess--"

  
She giggles, a sound that always reminds him of running water. "No worries, Juju! Don't be so nervous around ma and pa--you know they won't hurt you."

  
Juyeon sighs, running his hand through his hair. "Maybe I'll be a little less afraid when it's you sitting on that throne."

  
Ayeon laughs at that. "Well perhaps...but we can't guarantee that it'll be me on that throne." she says as she walks with him up to the table in the center of the room. 

  
Juyeon quirks a brow. "Are you not the crown princess?"

  
Ayeon smiles a little, like she knows something he doesn't. "No, technically I'm the younger sibling. But oppa has always said he doesn't want to rule, much to my parents' dismay."

  
Juyeon's eyes widen. "A boy?? You have an older brother?"

  
Ayeon nods. "Father kept it secret at first because he was afraid of--ah, er..."

  
Juyeon sighs. "Of what my father would do. Right?"

  
Ayeon fidgets with her fingers. "Y-yeah..."

  
Juyeon pats her curls. "No sense in dancing around it." he pauses, trying to find the right words but he can think of nothing. So he just adds "But hey, maybe I can meet your brother some day."

  
Ayeon smiles wide. "Yeah! Oppa always says he wants to see a creature from the forbid--er, the dark forest!"

  
Juyeon nods, smiling as she takes her place next to her mother. She's the spitting image of the queen, save for the hair. That is clearly from her father. 

  
The king rolls out a long piece of parchment paper and gets straight to work, going over the treaty details in earnest. Juyeon is pretty sure this man has never done anything ingenuine in his life, and even though he hates to admit it, the royal family always makes him feel comfortable. Maybe he doesn't hate to admit it, but he knows how it would be perceived back at home. Sympathizer, they'd call him--as if their people's greed wasn't the reason for the war. 

  
" _My father's greed, more like._ " he thinks sourly as he signs the last of the documents. 

  
Just as he's about to say his goodbyes, Ayeon bounds over to him. She's so incredibly tiny, so he lifts her up in his arms and settles her on his forearm. She shrieks in delight and sticks soft hands into his hair. He laughs and spins her around, playing with her all while the king and queen watch. He notices their stares and gently puts the girl down. She blinks at him in confusion but understands once she sees her parents' eyes. 

  
"Juyeon boy." the king addresses him. 

  
"Y-yes, Your Majesty?"

  
"Would you like to meet my son?"

  
Ayeon yells so loud, he thinks that the two rulers miss his reply. But from the way the queen smiles gingerly, he thinks they both heard him stutter out a nervous, "Of course."

~~~

Juyeon thinks he's never seen such a magnificent creature in his life. While his father prefers to see him with Hyunjae, a vampiric vision bathed in the kind of brilliance that only the moon's light can provide, Juyeon much prefers the sunny golden hues that bounce off this creature more. Juyeon can't drink enough of his sparkling visage in--the way the sun absolutely melts around him, the way colors vibrantly pop when he's near. There's a rosy look in his eyes that spreads surely to his cheeks and light dances around the space just past his fingertips. Juyeon can't tell if he's dancing or simply existing, but he's enraptured nonetheless.

  
Really, it's his wings that interest Juyeon. They stand tall and wide, like the wings of what Juyeon assumes an angel's look like (though he's never actually seen an angel in the flesh). But instead of being white and feathery, these wings are dipped in colors and sparkles, swirling together to create something like art. His wings are purple, with pink and blue streaks bleeding together and swirling at the tips. Sparkles adorn every inch of the appendages, and Juyeon finds himself reaching out to touch, until he remembers that he's watching from a distance. 

  
As soon as his father clears his throat, the boy stops dancing. His wings flutter prettily as he turns his head exactly in their direction. Juyeon's breath catches because " _Wow his eyes are prettier than I thought_ " but soon realizes what he just thought and glues his eyes to the floor. 

  
Without a word being spoken between them, the boy glides through the air reaching his family in no time. But his eyes aren't focused on any of them. He's focused on Juyeon, who's got his sister gently cradled in his arms. Juyeon thinks he should put her down when the boy moves closer, barely anything between them except for the small pixie in his arms. 

  
He pets her hair softly. "You look so pretty, Ayeonie~." he purrs out, and Juyeon has to actively fight the shiver that runs down his spine. When the boy brings his eyes to Juyeon's, all Juyeon can see is sparkles and stars. "And who might this be?"

  
His mother answers before Juyeon can begin to open his mouth. "This is Prince Juyeon--he travelled here all the way from the dark forest."

  
The boy smiles, a catlike look in his eyes. "A creature of the dark..." he murmurs into his sister's hair and lets his eyes roam over Juyeon's wide twisting horns before landing back on his eyes. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Prince Kevin."

  
Juyeon gives a slight bow of his head when Kevin graces him with a full bow. His parents must have business to attend to, as they quickly excuse themselves. Juyeon sets Ayeon down and is about to excuse himself when Ayeon's hand tugs at his dress shirt. "Juju, you should stay for a bit!"

  
Juyeon gulps, not sure if he's even allowed to take her up on the offer. But he can feel Kevin's eyes boring into him, and he feels like he wants to ask him something. "M-my Prince? Did you want to say something?"

  
Ayeon looks up at her brother and Kevin blinks a little. "You're the crown prince right?"

  
Juyeon takes a seat on the grass. "Yes, that's correct."

  
"Then yes, I do have a question." he pauses, as if trying to muster the courage to ask it. He shoos Ayeon off to go dance in the garden before putting it to words. "How do you feel about the treaty? Do you agree with it?"

  
Juyeon blinks, his throat going dry. "Why...would you ask me that?"

  
"Because there's a difference from being resigned to your fate and actually believing. I'm curious as to where you stand." he states as he sits across from the other. 

  
Juyeon mulls over his answer. "Well....I'll tell you what I do believe. I believe my father was wrong for being greedy. And I believe we deserve to be punished for his mistakes."

  
"We?"

  
Juyeon gulps, the words he's kept inside for so long suddenly pouring out. "Yes, 'we'. The ones who live on the other side, the dark forest. They rallied around my father, told him that trying to wipe out another species was acceptable and his _right_ as if he wasn't planning to destroy so many lives. As if your people weren't people, but... _insects_. _Things_ that he could just decide to be rid of."

  
Kevin whistles low. "You weren't happy with that?"

  
Juyeon turns to him, eyes bright with anger. "No! How could I be? When every year following the stupid decisions my father made I have to come here and be forced to see the way you all live? Your splendor, your beauty...how could he have thought your people were nothing but bugs??" he says, chest heaving with every word he utters. 

  
Kevin places a soft hand atop his own. "Take a breath, Juyeon. Lucky for you, we won. So you don't have to live with the knowledge of your father destroying something you find beautiful."

  
Juyeon looks up, cheeks burning at the realization of all he's just spilled. "I-I don't mean to trouble you with my--"

  
"No trouble at all. I asked, didn't I?" he says, laughing a little. Where his sister's laugh sounds smooth as water, his laugh reminds Juyeon of the chime of bells. Juyeon thinks his throat constricts a bit when he hears the pretty noise. 

  
Once Kevin stops laughing, he settles back onto the haunches of his palms. He smiles a bit before asking, "Do you have anything you want to ask me?"

  
A million things go through Juyeon's head _so pretty, so soft, warm my bed tonight_ but it's the last one that's like a bucket of ice water down his back. The greatest taboo of them all--to be involved with someone from the other side of the forest. He pushes the intrusive thought so far back he wonders if he ever even thought it to begin with. 

  
"Why don't you want to rule?" is what he settles on. 

  
Kevin's eyes sparkle when Juyeon asks that, as if he's delightfully surprised by the question. "Well...for almost half of my life, I grew up in the shadows. Father didn't want to endanger me, so he hid me away. So I got to see all the pieces that go into being a ruler. And because I wasn't raised to be a ruler, I had the fortune of being unbiased towards the matter. I saw just how hard it is, what wars do to people, and decided I didn't want that life. And shortly after I had decided, in the last year of the war, Ayeon was born. In a funny twist of fate, she _was_ raised to be a ruler. Her gender protected her in a way that mine didn't. At least, in this sense. She grew up being known as the enchanting little princess, and everywhere she went people fell all over her." Kevin smiles and looks to Juyeon. "Even you."

  
Juyeon chokes on his breath when they make eye contact. "I-I don't understand."

  
Kevin leans closer. "Are you going to deny your crush on my little sister? I'm her brother, I can tell."

  
Juyeon coughs. "N-no! I would never! She deserves someone better than me."

  
Kevin raises his brow. "Better than a prince?"

  
"She deserves someone made of light." he replies firmly.

  
Kevin's eyes widen. "Ahhhh. Do your people have...a law against that?"

  
Juyeon's eyes look down. He feels the shame rise in his chest as he quietly utters, "No...no law. But....it would never be accepted. Especially not from one of the royal family."

  
Kevin nods and stands up, his wings fluttering slightly. "We aren't quite there yet either, to be honest. I just wanted to see how far I could go teasing you."

  
Juyeon frowns, in a cute way that makes Kevin blink slower. "You shouldn't tease about those things, Kevin. Ayeon is still young."

  
Kevin laughs. "No matter--pixies are notorious for marrying early. Especially since they live much longer than their male counterparts."

  
Juyeon tilts his head as Kevin escorts him out. "What do you mean male counterparts?"

  
Kevin turns to him, genuine surprise written all over his face. "What, you've been coming here for how many years?? And you didn't know?"

  
"What is it? Is it something that obvious?"

  
Kevin giggles and Juyeon actively fights the flush he feels creeping up his neck. "Yeah it is, silly. Pixies and fairies are technically one race. Fairies are the males, and pixies are the females. Fairies can manipulate the elements, and pixies specialize in what they call enchantment. Have Ayeon show you her specialty the next time you come. You won't regret it."

  
Juyeon smiles and bows to him one last time. "Perhaps I'll take you up on that offer." he says as the carriage door closes behind him. As his carriage departs, he notices that Kevin doesn't go back inside the castle until Juyeon is almost out of sight. 

~~~

A week goes by and Juyeon realizes he can't stop thinking about the fairy prince. He's slowly started to realize that there's very little color in his castle at all, the most being a sickeningly dark maroon reminscent of blood that barely lines the walls. When he looks at Hyunjae all he can see is the monotony of gray, silver, and black. When they're locked behind closed doors of the Onyx Castle, tangled in his sheets, all he can remember is the smell of golden light and sparkly eyes. 

  
Juyeon wakes several times in a cold sweat, mortified at what his subconscious is telling him. Mortification instantly turns to heated shame at the way his mind so quickly spins out the _what ifs_ of a situation too dangerous to even entertain. But his mortification doesn't stop him from having thoughts of hands running through inky black hair, lips stained raspberry and parted so prettily he can't resist not tasting the fruit they bare. His chest aches at the sting of the yearning that steadily builds, each dream becoming more vivid than the last. Juyeon can't remember the last times his dreams had been so plagued, and least of all by thoughts of a single individual. Juyeon always manages to keep his emotions neatly tucked away, leaving them somewhere in his soul to rot and die out. Such a thing has yet to happen, leaving Juyeon to handle the unforgiving bloom of warmth that springs in him whenever the fairy prince wanders back into his dreamscape. 

  
Hyunjae must notice his mind wandering, because just after they've finished eating breakfast together, he blocks the demon prince from exiting. "Spit it out--what's been on your mind?"

  
Juyeon clears his throat uncomfortably. "It's nothing really. I've been dreaming again."

  
Hyunjae raises his eyebrows, the cool white light bouncing off off his bright red hair. "Dreaming? About what?"

  
Juyeon swallows thickly. "I don't quite remember. It just feels bright...and warm."

  
Hyunjae blinks. "And it's distracting you this much? You can't let the others know about this, Juyeonie. As the next king, they'd roast you alive for harboring such thoughts."

  
Juyeon sighs. "If you think I don't know that Hyunjae--"

  
The vampire puts his hands comfortingly on the other's shoulders. "Juyeonie, I promise that I have no doubt that you've thought of everything. I just worry."

  
Juyeon nods, letting Hyunjae rub his shoulders. "Worry not, darling. It's really nothing."

  
Hyunjae purses his lips a bit, but finally presses a soft kiss to Juyeon's temple. Juyeon feels no warmth, and the affection he once felt for the older man in his youth is now gone as the days grow nearer to when he is to take the throne. Even now, Juyeon expects to see warmth bloom in his eyes when he pulls away but the same cold look still graces his unmatched beauty. The demon prince feels a slight pang of guilt for condemming his first love for something he should have known from the very beginning. He should've learned by now that Hyunjae's actions have never matched his eyes--that his heart has always been cold. 

  
Except when it came to being at the center of everything Juyeon does. He may not have an actual heart, but the sentiment is there--if he's to be the husband of the next ruler of the dark forest, he must make sure he secures his spot every chance he gets. 

  
And it's that detail that makes Juyeon absolutely despise him. 

  
So despite the warmth Juyeon inevitably finds himself craving from Hyunjae, he can't bring himself to fully trust the other. Not now, and not ever again. And especially not with something as dangerous as his secret desire to bask in the presence of something brighter. 

~~~

He doesn't know why he does it or how he manages it, but somehow Juyeon is able to slip out of the Onyx Castle and take his horse through the expanses of the dark forest. He lets the cool air whip past his horns, lets himself feel alive for once as he comes to the forest's edge. On the other side of the border is a looming gold plated gate, the brightness meant to keep creatures of the dark on the outskirts of it. But for some reason, Juyeon feels even more enticed by the sight, almost able to feel the warmth coursing through his body. He slowly leads his steed to the gates, unsure of what he's to do at this point.

  
He slowly dismounts from the animal, his footsteps unsure but never faltering as he approaches the bright fixture. Just as he begins to reach out to the gates, he hears footsteps from the other side of the gate. Immediately, he drops to the ground, trying to desperately hide his twisting horns. But from the other side he senses a familiar presence and lifts his head. 

  
He meets eyes with the pixie queen, her thick black hair swept slightly away from her face. Her sharp blue eyes pierce the prince and he feels physically sick as he drops his head once more. 

  
In her twinkling, small voice she utters "Raise your head, Prince" and even though Juyeon doesn't feel like he can manage such a thing, he finds that his body moves on its own. His eyes widen when they meet hers again, as they've somehow began to shine brighter. She smiles a bit and lifts her hand and at the the flick of her wrist his body moves in tandem. Juyeon feels a flush a fear wash over him until he meets her eyes again. Though the blue burns the color of the hottest fires in hell, her demeanor does not suggest any malice whatsoever. She holds her other hand to her mouth to signal him to stay quiet as she skillfully unlocks the gates with one hand. Her wings, which are about the same size as Kevin's but a bright gold color, flutter softly as she pulls his stead's reign in her hands and seemingly pulls him along as well. 

  
In very little time, they reach the garden and Juyeon feels a rush of warmth in his limbs. He moves his head freely and turns to the queen, who is securing his steed by the edge of the garden. When she turns back to him, she gestures for him to sit at a table that has been prepared with tea and small finger foods. 

  
"M-my Queen--" he begins in a hushed voice.

  
"My Prince?"

  
Juyeon's voice catches when she addresses him that way. "My Queen, I'm extremely confused as to--"

  
She gestures him to sit once more. "Sit, my Prince. We have something to discuss."

  
Nervously, Juyeon finally takes a seat across from her. He finds the chair is just slightly too small for his body so he curls in a bit, hunching his back and eliciting a laugh from the pixie across from him. "Sit comfortably, Prince. As I'm sure you've inferred, this talk is not one of joyous occassion."

  
Juyeon gulps and straightens his back a bit. "I had hoped you would prove me wrong, my Queen."

  
She smiles, the fiery blue of her eyes flashing once more. "Well, let's not beat around the bush, shall we?" she utters as her eyes flutter up to his. "My husband, His Majesty the King, caught a golem outside of our gates. The pest was quite close to breaching our doors."

  
Juyeon swallows a thick lump in his throat. "My Queen, I assure you that was not my doing--"

  
"Oh, Juyeon." she says softly, halting his desperation in its tracks. "Neither I nor the King think this was your doing." she sighs. "I do however think it might have been at the hands of that lover of yours."

  
Juyeon pales when she makes the statement. "Queen Aria...forgive me for asking this but how do you know about--"

  
"Hyunjae? That's his name correct?"

  
Juyeon slowly nods, a paralyzing feeling spreading through his body. He wants to convince himself that it's those piercing blue eyes again, but they no longer burn like they had earlier. 

  
The queen continues, not bothered by his silence or the fact that he troubled himself with the formality of uttering her name. "To answer your question--the moment my husband allowed you within these walls, he put a marker on you, one that tracks your movements. You probably haven't noticed it even now but that's no surprise considering the fact that my husband is one of the best at controlling his element."

  
Juyeon blinks, the shock of the situation starting to fade. "What...element would that be, my Queen?"

  
Aria laughs a little. "So your father really did keep you in the dark then...." she says as she brushes some hair away. "My husband controls light. It's a very difficult element to master, but it was said he mastered it before his wings fully grew in."

  
Juyeon tilts his head as a realization dawns on him. "Were you not raised to be his wife, my Queen?"

  
This time it's her turn to blink. "Raised to be his....what on earth do you mean, Prince? I'm not sure about the practices you've come to know in the dark forest, but on this side we don't get preened in that way."

  
Juyeon turns his eyes downward, the feeling of humiliation building once more in him as it always has around the royal family of light. 

  
Instead of mocking him, Aria simply touches her hand to his. The touch is fleeting, but Juyeon immediately feels warm. He looks up and sees a softness in her eyes that reminds him of Ayeon. "Prince, you shouldn't hang your head so often. It doesn't befit your lineage."

  
"If you perhaps mean the lineage that tried to wipe yours out, my Queen, then I would have to disagree."

  
Aria pouts slightly, "Juyeon-ah."

  
He looks up, and tussles his hair slightly. "What about my lineage do I have to be proud of?"

  
The queen taps her teacup, choosing to ignore that question entirely. "So this lover of yours...was he also preened to be yours?"

  
Juyeon sighs. "He wasn't, at least not initially. Our fathers were simply close so he came to the castle quite often. But he stood out against the others that vied for my interest, so my father approved. Said I needed a partner that looked like they belonged on a throne."

  
The queen nods. "And...well, pardon the intrusive question but did you ever care for him in that way?"

  
Juyeon bites his lip as he mutters, "I did. But not anymore."

  
That seems to pique the queen's interest but she pushes away her curiosity. "We won't hurt him then, since he seems to be someone you cherish. However, I would like you to tell him to stop with the golems."

  
Juyeon nods. "I will tell him, though I'm not sure how he'll react to such news."

  
Aria smiles as if that's the last thing on her mind. "If I can subdue the demon king himself, a vampire boy should be no problem."

  
Juyeon chews at his lips once more and gathers the courage utter his question as the queen begins to escort him from the garden. "My Queen?"

  
She stops short and looks in his direction. "Yes, Juyeon?"

  
"What....kind of enchantment do you specialize in?"

  
She grins visciously at his question and her eyes light fiercely. "Ah, so Binnie did tell you." she turns to him. "Each enchantment is sort of like a feeling that a pixie navigates. I was a shy thing growing up so no one expected me to have such an enchantment, but mine is called Charm." 

  
"And...what exactly does that entail?"

  
She smiles again. "Let's just say it's not a very good idea to look me in the eyes." she says playfully. "Now off you go. Can't have you being discovered outside the castle walls at this hour, hm?"

  
Juyeon mounts his steed and before he rides off he produces a small glassy rose. He leans over to hand it to the queen. "My Queen, that's for your words of advice. It should help with the golems." he pauses but gathers a breath and continues. "And...I don't know if this is overstepping a line but I...never got to know my mother and--"

  
The queen laughs gently, her eyes sparkly and bright even in the dead of night. "Oh Juyeon, such a sweet soul you've always been. You truly are a son after my own heart. You know you are always welcome within these walls."

  
Juyeon feels his heart swell at the words, but he merely tips his head and rides off back towards his cold, dark home. He doesn't know if he's lost it, but something tells him that the queen doesn't look away until she's sure he's gotten home safely. 

~~~

The same day that Juyeon has decided to tell Hyunjae to cease with his golem spies, he receives a letter from one of the maids. She's an orphan sorceress that goes by the name of Rex who is in line to become one of his personal advisors once he ascends, as she's served his family for a long time. 

  
"My Liege, this arrived for you bright and early."

  
Juyeon looks up from his desk to see a yellow envelope tied with a bright blue ribbon. He snatches it from her hands and leans over his desk. "Did anyone else happen to...?"

  
She silently shakes her head and he breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Rex. Was there anything else?"

  
She shakes her head once more. "No my liege. Though I will say...the letter arrived on wings of its own and with a single golem claw attached."

  
Juyeon swallows and nods. "I understand. Please make sure this stays between us."

  
"Of course my liege." she says and sees herself out of his study. He stares down at the envelope and decides that it's now or never. He stands quickly and makes a beeline towards his room, where Hyunjae is no doubt sleeping in his bed. 

  
Juyeon is surprised to see Hyunjae sitting up on his bed when he opens the double doors. The older man is shirtless from the waist up, his beautiful red hair tussled in such a way that looks like it's been windswept. The other is thumbing through one of his books, his face the picture of boredom. He glances up at Juyeon when the doors open, but other than that his expression and body language don't change in the slightest. He doesn't even hesitate as Juyeon approaches the bed to ask him, "Where did you sneak off to last night?"

  
Juyeon raises one of his eyebrows. "Exactly how is that your business, Jae?"

  
"If I'm to lead with you--"

  
"That's exactly it, Jae. _If_. So until you're seated on a throne next to me, I have no obligation to tell you anything I do outside of these walls."

  
Hyunjae blinks at him and despite the fact that Juyeon can see the anger boiling in his eyes, he doesn't let it show anywhere else. "Next you're going to kick me out of this castle?" he says in a perfectly matter-of-fact way, which only serves to frustrate Juyeon further. 

  
"I might have to if you keep sending golems to the people we're supposed to be at peace with."

  
Hyunjae clenches his jaw for the briefest moment and scoffs. "Sending golems there isn't illegal, now is it?"

  
Juyeon slams his hand onto the headboard. "Listen, Jae. The only reason I haven't ripped one of your eyes out of its socket right now is because you're an old friend that I trust. And right now, you're testing that. So _stop sending them_. That wasn't a request. It was a fucking order."

  
Hyunjae meets his eyes daringly. "Cursing at your fiancé? That's not a good look, Juyeonie."

  
"See, that's where you're sorely mistaken Jae. Just because you've been around me all these years doesn't mean you're my fiancé. So either you follow my orders as your future _king_ , or you don't enjoy the privilege of staying here at all."

  
Hyunjae keeps his hardened eyes trained on Juyeon for a moment longer before relinquishing his resolve and tossing his hand in the air. "Perhaps I'm not your fiancé as of yet, but I highly doubt your father, His Majesty the King, will let your gaze stray too far."

  
Juyeon unclenches his fists. "Now darling, you know I don't like to yell or exercise my power, but I would like to not incur another war in this lifetime. Just please stop sending them."

  
Hyunjae touches his cheekbone, a feather light caress, and exhales a little. "I will call them off if it means staying in your good graces, my love." he pauses. "My golems truly aren't there for anything besides gaining information. Promise." he says, his voice lulling softly as he rubs circles into Juyeon's knuckle. 

  
Juyeon wants to ask what information he could possibly need, why must he breach their gates for this--especially when the treaty still feels so fresh for many, but Hyunjae is always one step ahead of him as the older plants a kiss on his jugular. Juyeon shivers a bit, his lips still as intoxicating as ever. Hyunjae takes that as his submission, and nibbles on the skin as he moves up to Juyeon's jaw. 

  
Just as Juyeon feels like he's gotten his head above water, desperately gulping in air, Hyunjae hooks his arms around his neck and tugs him down onto the large bed. Hyunjae easily flips the other so that he can straddle Juyeon properly. 

  
Juyeon struggles to fight the waves of desire washing over him, breathless as his lover continues to press kisses into his skin--each kiss intensifying the feeling of control slipping between clawed fingers. 

  
Hyunjae knows well how to rile the prince in all the right ways, rolling his hips over the other's, claiming every breath he can. He especially loves to hold Juyeon's jaw as he slips his tongue between the other's unsuspecting lips. Juyeon has the gall to gasp as if he hasn't played this game with the vampire several times over. 

  
But what really does him in--what always does him in--is when Hyunjae's hands venture north, to his dangerously sensitive horns. Hyunjae clutches one at the base and strokes the other. Juyeon bucks up in response and rubs against his lover's half hard erection. 

  
"Juyeonie...how long do you plan to fight me?"

  
Juyeon teethes the inside of his cheek, not brave enough to open his mouth and dignify that with a response. 

  
Hyunjae doesn't need one, though. He takes his lips to the prince's jugular once more, sucking hard and biting down. Juyeon vainly clutches his sheets, willing every piece of his body to stay still. But Hyunjae is still toying with his horns, and every swipe of his tongue against Juyeon's skin feels like electric fire. 

  
Finally, Hyunjae looks up, lets Juyeon catch his breath enough to open his eyes, and Juyeon lets out a ragged breath of defeat when he sees the blood red color of Hyunjae's left eye. 

  
"Do you still think I'm going to let you get away, love?"

  
Juyeon snarls, switching their positions quickly. He pulls his pants off, and Hyunjae sighs dreamily as he lays eyes on Juyeon's erection. Being pseudo betrothed to a demon prince has it's perks, and one of Hyunjae's favorite is getting railed by his monster cock. 

  
Hyunjae dares to glance up, knowing full well that he's incurred Juyeon's demonic desire so he's not entirely surprised to see that Juyeon's eyes are starting to darken to the smokey purple he's grown accustomed to when they become entrapped in his sheets. 

  
What does surprise Hyunjae is what Juyeon growls out next. "Take it in your mouth."

  
Hyunjae's eyes widen, and for the first time in quite a while, he feels the burn of desire course through him. "You want me to take that in my mouth?"

  
"Did I not make myself clear?"

  
Hyunjae outright groans at that. "Fuck, Juyeonie...you're so fucking hot." he mutters as he readjusts himself so that he's leaning forward on his hands and knees, looking like his mouth was made to be fucked. Juyeon wastes no time and strokes himself gingerly, letting his precum lubricate his cock. Hyunjae licks his lips as he takes the other's erection in his hand and guides himself there. His lips stretch generously around Juyeon's length, and Juyeon outwardly groans as Hyunjae begins to stroke the base of his cock where his mouth doesn't reach. Gradually the other increases his pace, the wet noises of him slurping around Juyeon pushing the demon closer to the brink of insanity. Every so often, when Hyunjae flicks his wrist just right, Juyeon snaps his hips into the other's mouth and that earns him a gracious groan. Hyunjae has a very high pain tolerance, and almost nothing genuinely hurts him anymore, so Juyeon feels no qualms in driving his cock down the vampire's throat. 

  
Hyunjae even _moans_ around him as Juyeon hits the back of his throat, still stroking him with such fervor that Juyeon begins to think that maybe somewhere in his cold chest, Hyunjae truly does love him.

  
One of the perks of being with a vampire is that when they're touching you, they can trasmit their thoughts to you if they so desire. Hyunjae has always taken advantage of this ability in their bedroom dynamics, loving the connection he feels when Juyeon can literally hear what he's thinking. 

  
So it's no surprise that Juyeon, ravished and chasing his desire head-on, is wantonly calling Hyunjae's name between breathy moans and heavy pants. What does surprise him is when Hyunjae let's him hear " _Wanna cum in my mouth baby?_ ". Hyunjae holds back his giggle when Juyeon's hips stutter, the thought of his lover swallowing his seed making him see stars for a moment. 

  
Hyunjae dares to look up and sees that Juyeon is muffling his moans by digging his teeth into his bottom lip, his eyebrows furrowed sourly in concentration. Hyunjae finds this Juyeon so endearing, when he's so eager to release and simultaneously longs to prolong the intoxicating fire burning in his gut. 

  
But Hyunjae much prefers Juyeon spent, the absolute look of bliss that crosses his face, because _he did that_. So, much as he likes Juyeon's adorably futile fight against his urges, Hyunjae ultimately decides to push him over the edge. " _Gonna breed me with your monster cock, Yeonie? Let me taste daddy's seed?_ "

  
Juyeon bites down harder for a second, but hisses out a low "Fuuuuuck" as he empties himself into Hyunjae's mouth. Hyunjae never breaks eye contact, keeps his eyes trained on the prince to watch his furrowed eyebrows relax and his jaw drop open. Hyunjae's favorite part is how slowly Juyeon's eyes roll back before he blinks back into focus. 

  
When he does, he sets his warm brown eyes back on Hyunjae, whose left eye is still that mesmerizing blood red. Despite himself, Juyeon pulls out of Hyunjae's mouth and presses soft kisses to his forehead. "How's your jaw?"

  
Hyunjae ruffles the other's hair, careful not to touch his horns. "You could probably break my jaw and it still wouldn't hurt, Yeonie. You know that."

  
Juyeon looks down to see Hyunjae very clearly leaking onto the sheets. "Jae--"

  
Hyunjae swats him away. "Don't worry about me. That was my way of apologizing for being a dick."

  
Juyeon takes his face in his palms. "You really are a handful. How will I ever learn to tame you?"

  
Hyunjae laughs at that. "That's cute, Yeonie. I'm centuries your senior. And even though demons do have a pretty long lifespan, you are still quite a young demon to be talking about taming me."

  
Juyeon nuzzles into his neck a bit. "Emotionally, it seems I've had you tamed for quite a while though?"

  
Hyunjae clears his throat, and lets Juyeon sit in the silence of that statement. Because really--even Hyunjae isn't so sure about that. 

~~~

Juyeon officially visits the Golden Castle again on Ayeon's birthday. He had forgotten all about the letter he had received weeks prior until Rex reminds him of it. Her naturally wavy silver hair is tied into a messy bun, with wisps curtaining her face. Her skin, a gorgeous brown color, has a sheen of sweat over it that makes her look even more unreal. Rex was a teenage crush of his, but back then she had been distant and practically mute--and then it soon became the talk of the castle that the prince preferred to bed with males than of the other sex. He was never quite sure if she thought of him in that manner, but as soon as she made it clear to him that she wanted to be one of his advisors, he put in a good word to his father. 

  
Juyeon is awoken from his thoughts when Rex rushes in and startles when she sees him at his desk. "My Liege! What in Hell's name are you doing here dressed like that? Did that maids not give you your wardrobe for today?"

  
Juyeon raises a brow at her as he tilts his head. "They did give me that garb, but on my calendar it simply says that I need to supervise--"

  
"Pardon my language, but did you not read the letter I gave you weeks ago you imbecile??"

  
Juyeon's eyebrows fly up at that, his normally level-headed maid being an absolute wreck. "Rex?"

  
She takes a calming breath, and pushes a stray curl behind her ear. "The letter with the golem claw? Did you ever even open it?"

  
Juyeon looks down in realization, remembering how he'd stored it in his desk to read in private but then let it collect dust. Before he can excuse his behavior, Rex comes behind his desk and hoists him up by the arm. "No time for you to be apologetic, my Liege." she pushes him out the door. "You have less than an hour to get ready and arrive at the party. Go go now!" she says as she shoves him into the arms of some other maids. 

  
In a matter of minutes, the maids manage to get Juyeon into the attire that Rex had picked for him weeks before. The outfit consists of a flowy cream colored tunic shirt that laces in the front, along with high waisted straight-fit black trousers. They pull on some black knee high boots and then work to make his hair look a little less unkempt. By the time the maids are finished, he's got just over 15 minutes to make it to the Golden Castle. Needless to say, Rex tells the coachman that if he wants to continue to have a job, he will get the prince to the castle on time. 

  
By the time they arrive, the horses seems simply exhausted and the coachman is sweating through his uniform, so Juyeon gives him a reassuring pat on the back and thanks him for his hard work before hurrying into the castle. 

  
Being in the Golden Castle with many other guests brings an entirely new feeling of discomfort to Juyeon's shoulders. He doesn't know how to carry himself, or what to say to passerbys who very quickly notice his stature and horns. He finds himself easily slinking into an uninhabited corner, not sure of who to greet or where to stand. The shame he constantly feels is only amplified by the stares and barely hidden whispers. 

  
But then a hush falls over the crowd near him and the sea of people parts easily--and in that space he sees the pixie queen, standing a good half head above many of her subjects. Just as smooth and sultry as ever, she walks up to him as if he's just another guest, and holds her hand out to him. Immediately, Juyeon drops to his knees and addresses her as he bows before graciously taking her hand. She says nothing to him until she reaches the center of the ballroom, where Ayeon sits in a high chair in the cutest gold sparkling dress. She's got a large black bow balanced atop her head of curls and her blue eyes shine in the white lights overhead. As soon as he sees her, he feels a flush of warmth as if he were seeing a sibling. The queen nudges his arm from behind. "It's rude for a prince to not greet the star of the party, is it not?"

  
Juyeon chuckles a little. "Of course, my Queen." he responds under his breath and takes long strides to walk up to where Ayeon is perched. Luckily, Rex had the forethought to give Juyeon a gift to give the young princess, and Juyeon had just enough time during the hectic carriage ride to write a small letter to accompany it. 

  
Once he's right across from her, he sees Kevin right behind her and he subtly nods his head to the other prince. Kevin's eyes seem to light up when he sees the demon, but Juyeon wants to believe it's just his imagination and the blurry haze of emotions. 

  
Nevertheless, he bows deeply to Ayeon, sets her gift with the mountain of others, and utters a soft, "Happy birthday, princess."

  
Ayeon snatches up his gift and quickly hands it to Kevin, and Juyeon smiles a little at how regal she's trying to be. "Lift your head, Prince."

  
Juyeon does as she says, and is happy to see the smile sparkling in her and Kevin's eyes. They both seem extremely jubilant that he showed up and that he's withstanding the stares of all the people in their kingdom for Ayeon's sake. "Thank you." she says, trying to remove the emotion from her voice. She nods her head at him and that's his sign to step away, so he immediately finds another corner to silently stand in. 

  
The party continues for hours, with other fairies dancing and eating and generally enjoying the festivities. After all, a royal child's birthday only happens once a year, and Ayeon really does seem to have the entirety of the kingdom captivated. Everywhere she goes, people fall all over themselves and she seems happy to play along. 

  
When the sun begins to set, Juyeon decides it's time to take a breath on this floor's balcony. He's rarely in the enchanted forest at night, and he's always found it odd that the nights don't become drastically cold. As he's drinking some punch and staring contentedly at the sunset, he feels a set of hands on his shoulder. He fully expects to see the queen or Ayeon when he turns, but instead he locks eyes with Kevin and it takes every bit of him to not spill his drink all over himself. 

  
"Hi Juyeon." he says warmly, and pats his shoulder once more before flanking him on his right. "Ayeonie and I were sure you wouldn't show."

  
Juyeon splutters a bit and Kevin laughs lightheartedly. "Not like we could possibly bring ourselves to be mad about it, had you not showed. You seem...uncomfortable. And understandably so."

  
Juyeon rubs the back of his neck. "Well...it's definitely different. Even from what I'm already accustomed to."

  
"What made you decide to come?"

  
Juyeon laughs a little. "To be honest? One of my maids. She's been a close friend since I was younger and she practically shoved me out the door this morning so I wouldn't be late."

  
Kevin hums. "So maybe she thinks this would be fun for you?"

  
"God no." Juyeon chuckles. "She's...well aware of what it's like to be stared at like you don't belong."

  
Kevin leans over the guard railing, his wings slowly fluttering. "Then maybe she wanted you to come back here?"

  
Juyeon gulps, a flush coloring his ears. "N-no...I don't--I don't have a real reason to--"

  
Kevin turns to look at Juyeon, meets his gaze just slightly. "Do you need one?"

  
"W-well, kind of. Wouldn't it be weird if your people always saw me here?"

  
Kevin sighs. "Maybe, but I was asking if you needed a reason. Not them."

  
Juyeon's eyes widen. "Oh. Well--uhm, I--"

  
Kevin turns his head to look at the sunset. "Mmm, you can say that you're uncomfortable, Juyeon. I know what it's like, to have to keep up appearances. I'm perhaps the only person you can be honest with." he finishes his sentence and turns directly to Juyeon. "So let me ask again--do you need a reason to be here?"

  
Juyeon feels his heart catch in his throat, feels like Kevin is being this way on purpose. But how could he be? How could Kevin possibly know what hell Juyeon has been going through while trying to process the shitstorm of emotions he's been feeling? 

  
Despite the doubt and the fear, Juyeon takes a step closer to him. "Yes, I do. But...well, I already have one."

  
Kevin's wings flutter slightly, but he doesn't ever break his eye contact. "Oh? Would you be so kind as to let me in on that?"

  
Juyeon stoops down, enough that he could kiss Kevin in that moment but instead, he opts for keeping their eye contact. "It's you, Kevin."

  
Kevin _smirks_. And then plants a very quick kiss on his lips. But just from that half second, Juyeon feels like flowers explode around him, and Kevin's aroma so close to him makes his brain malfunction for half a second. 

  
"I thought so." he giggles, _that pretty sound again_ , and takes a step back. "Juyeon, did I ever tell you that the element I control is earth?" he doesn't bother to wait for the other's response. "Every blade of grass you touch, every flower you encounter within castle walls has bloomed because of me. And they will continue to be as bright and beautiful as they are because of me." his eyes slide back to Juyeon's playfully. "So even in your dreams, I know where you've been, if it's within these walls." he smiles. "Your dreams are...quite vivid."

  
Juyeon's entire face colors like a rose, and he buries his head in his hands. "Are you fucking serious?"

  
Kevin laughs again, and it almost bothers Juyeon how much he loves the sound. "Quite!" he pauses and closes the distance between them once more. "Hey, you wanna look at me?"

  
Juyeon somehow manages to look up at him and feels a gust of warmth when they meet eyes again. "Kevin, I--"

  
"Juyeon, I promise you that I've been thinking about this for as long as you."

  
"It's....it's not weird to you? I don't creep you out?"

  
Kevin rubs his biceps reassuringly. "Right now that is the furthest thing from my mind. I just want you to kiss me back, silly."

  
Juyeon's eyes dart to the balcony doors, which are shut but have windows. Kevin chuckles at his hesitation, and pushes him over so that they're no longer in front of the doors. "Now will you kiss me back?"

  
Juyeon nods shyly and dips his head down to properly kiss the fairy boy. Just as he had imagined in every vividly bright dream, Kevin tastes like berries and sunshine. He smells like fresh air and newly bloomed roses. Everything about him is warm and bright and Juyeon can't help but melt under his touch. 

  
Kevin on the other hand tastes sharp mint and lavender on the demon's lips. The two contrast each other quite a bit and leaves shivers running down the other. It's an intoxicating taste, one that Kevin wants to keep deepening. His hands scramble for purchase around Juyeon's neck and eventually move up just past the nape of his neck. The smaller boy physically pulls Juyeon down to meet his fervor and Juyeon wraps strong arms around the other's waist.

  
And as the last dredges of sunlight illuminate the two princes, Juyeon feels the roots of something taking hold of his heart. 

~~~

The next few months are absolute bliss. 

  
Juyeon feels as though he's living through a reel of pretty words and pretty feelings. Though his fear is still very much there, he finds that emotion often gets eclipsed by the feeling growing in his heart. 

  
He and Kevin have made it almost a game to visit each other randomly, to do sweet gestures, and give warm gifts. They often sneak to the gardens, where they're undisturbed by the towering walls of flowers Kevin can bloom at will. They hide underneath the shade of sunflowers some days, and other days Kevin builds a fortress of foxgloves to conceal them from anyone who might stumble upon the garden. 

  
And for as much as Juyeon wants to take Kevin into his castle, he knows how utterly foolish it would be to do such a thing. His father would throw a fit, and Hyunjae might really do something ugly if Juyeon were ever to attempt to let Kevin past the cold iron gates of his home. 

  
Kevin is not oblivious to the reasons why, and so instead he constantly asks Juyeon to tell him stories about his home and how he grew up. 

  
On this particular day, the wind is steady and the sun is dull on their backs. Kevin has constructed a cube made up of roses and vines studded with thorns to encase them. The vines aren't woven tight, so they can still watch the clouds as they pass overhead. 

  
"So Rex is an orphaned sorceress?" Kevin asks as he lazily plays with Juyeon's fingers in his own. 

  
"Mmm, she's one of many that lost her entire family in the war. She wasn't an only child, but she says she hardly remembers her older sisters. On bad days, she gets nightmares about the day she lost them. But now...sometimes I catch her staring past the thicket around our castle and I wonder if she wishes to be free of my family."

  
Kevin hums. "Seems like you think of her dearly."

  
Juyeon smiles a bit. "Yes, actually. When we were much younger, I believed I could make her my queen. Before all the politics and well...my own discovery of preference."

  
Kevin laughs. "So she must be incredibly beautiful then?"

  
Juyeon tightens his hand around the fairy's. "She is considered the tempered beauty of the castle. But no one can compare to you, Kevin."  
Kevin smacks his hand. "Oh hush, you sweet talker." he stretches

out a bit and sits up. "One of these days...if we can ever stop meeting in secret, you must introduce me to her."

  
"Someday. I will try my hardest to bring that to fruition. She is the most probable candidate to be my advisor, and even she has proposed the idea of integration."

  
Kevin nods but then stops for a moment. "Ah, I keep forgetting that you're the crown prince. Do you...have suitors?"

  
A rush of shock runs through Juyeon's limbs. "There's no use in beating around that bush. I do, a single one. He's been my suitor since I was young--like barely growing my horns in at 15 young. He's the son of one of my father's closest advisors, and the next in line to take over the vampire council."

  
Kevin whistles low. "A vampire, hm. He must also be quite the looker."

  
Juyeon chews his lip. "H-he is, but in the worst way. He feels cold and ingenuine to me, though in my youth I was infatuated with him."

  
"Are you two...officially engaged?"

  
Juyeon shakes his head. "My coronation ceremony has to happen first, which won't be for another half year at least. After that, I'll probably be given some time to settle into my role before my father pushes me to get married."

  
Kevin nods, a sinking feeling in his limbs. "Juyeon...if we never are to be married...if we aren't meant to spend this life together--"

  
Juyeon squeezes his hand to silently cut him off. "I'm not meant to be with anyone else. I won't get married. I'll be an impotent king before I marry someone just for politics."

  
Kevin's eyes soften at that, but his heart still weighs heavy. "I love you."

  
Juyeon feels it bloom in his heart then--the floral scent swirling and mixing with his own, ears full of rushing water. The colors pop and suddenly the smell of roses is almost so overpowering that it brings him to tears. A queasiness settles over his stomach for a moment, before it drifts away and is filled with something impossibly bright. 

  
Juyeon hears himself say it back _I love you too_ , feels himself press a warm kiss to Kevin's lips, but he doesn't quite come to again until Kevin says, "Our souls will bloom together for eternity."

~~~

  
More months go by, and as they do, Juyeon feels nothing but the swell of love in his chest. It becomes harder and harder to hide his love struck haze from the others. He knows that Rex has noticed it, and it seems the other maids have begun to catch on too, as they actively go out of their way to find him clothing that isn't as dull as what he's used to. One day Juyeon even comes back to see that his sheets are a soft blue color, rather than the wilted gray he's accustomed to. 

  
And it's easy to hide when his father has never bothered to get to know Juyeon as a person, rather than just his successor. And on top of that, Hyunjae has been away to hunt with his father and has been gone for several weeks. Juyeon feels a freedom he hasn't in a while, and no longer feels the pressure to sneak away to see the fairy prince. He simply mounts his steed, and rides off just past daybreak whenever he feels so inclined. 

  
But it's on this particular day that he dresses in his brightest garb (a pale pink tunic with ruffled sleeves and white trousers) to go visit his lover. And the excitement is clear on his face because it's Kevin's birthday. 

  
Unlike his little sister, the prince has refused a large gathering from the rest of the kingdom and has explicitly told his parents he prefers to be with Juyeon on this day. His parents seem to not be surprised in the least, and have agreed to make a big celebration out of his birthday on one of the upcoming days and blame the delay on weather. 

  
Which they are right to do, because on the day of the prince's birthday, thick gloomy clouds surround the normally bright castle. And though the setting is still very much warm and inviting, it gives Juyeon an odd feeling as he walks up the steps on the castle. 

  
He bows politely to the little pixie maids that immediately take his coat to hang. He only ventures to take a few more steps before he's intercepted by the king, who points him in the direction of Kevin's room. 

  
Juyeon swallows thickly, never having been in the other's private quarters, as they both much prefer the warmth and brightness of being outside. The demon prince tries not to hesitate too much as he climbs the steps of the castle and follows the directions he's been given. He arrives at a large black double door, which he honestly wouldn't have expected from the other, but still he raps on the door to let whoever is on the other side know that he's there. 

  
The double doors burst open and Juyeon is absolutely floored at the sight that he meets inside. There are vines and barely bloomed flowers all over the floor, along with small trees and bushes in every crevice possible. Flowers even bloom from the large white bed that sits on the left of where he stands. 

  
And in the center of it all, with vines snaked around his arms and legs, stands Kevin. The fairy wears a crown of sunflowers on his head, with a beautiful purple robe that matches his wings. He's chosen a simple white tunic to wear underneath the robe, and tucked it into a pair of high waisted dark blue trousers that flare at the bottoms. He turns on his feet, a smile so wide plastered on his face that his eyes practically disappear. But then the doors are closing behind Juyeon and Kevin is in his arms. 

  
"Hi my love." he purrs out and Juyeon shivers a bit. "Do you want to go out to the garden once more?"

  
Juyeon smiles fondly. "I would love to, if you want to as well."

  
Kevin nods eagerly, and pulls him to their favorite spot, just past the point where they can't be seen by anyone else--their little world.

  
On this cloudy day is when Juyeon thinks that maybe the world was meant to be bathed in light and dark. When he's with Kevin, all he knows is the fairy's effortless smiles, his laughter that sounds like tinkling bells, and his words that fall comfortingly like rain. Everything about Kevin is visceral and colorful to the point where Juyeon is overwhelmed to see more than just black and white for once.

  
When they're together, they simply enjoy each other's presence and never ask for more from each other. In their little rose dome that Kevin has created, they can simply be. And it's in the comfort of this knowledge that Kevin reaches over to comb delicate fingers through Juyeon's dark hair. His fingers climb carefully, warily, to the crown of the demon's head, swirling gently around the base of one of Juyeon's horns. A violent shiver runs through his body and Kevin hastily pulls away. "I-I'm sorry did I hurt you?"

  
Juyeon looks up, his left eye blown so entirely with desire that his entire iris looks smokey purple. "Far from it, Kevin."

  
Kevin takes in a steadying breath because _maybe he's not completely sure about what he's seeing_ but he scoots a little closer and dances his fingers through Juyeon's locks once more. From this close he can see Juyeon is fighting hard with some kind of impulse, as he clenches his hands and forcefully takes slow, even breaths. Eventually, Kevin gets to his horns again and, in a moment of boldness, leans over to grip both horns in his hands. 

  
Juyeon lets out a gutteral, wanton moan, and before Kevin can pull away, Juyeon has dug his hands into the smaller man's hips. He yanks him closer, then effortlessly places Kevin into his lap. The fairy is confused but feels heat bloom from his chest. 

  
"What is it that you'd like from me, my dearest birthday boy?" Juyeon muses, his voice low and dark and full of something that makes Kevin's stomach twist in a pleasantly uncomfortable way.

  
Kevin doesn't speak, simply lets his hands roam in a way that makes Juyeon tense under him. Kevin isn't stupid, and he's sure now of what he saw. The demon prince wants him, wants to stake his claim and fully have the fairy. 

  
Kevin isn't at all opposed--in fact, he welcomes the rush of heat that creeps up his neck. Ever since he got a glimpse into Juyeon's dreams, he'd figured this day would come. He wanted to experience firsthand what the demon prince had so vividly dreamed of before they had even confessed their feelings for each other.

  
So silently, Kevin kisses up and down Juyeon's jaw, leaving warmth to bloom on his skin like flowers would in a garden. Juyeon finds purchase in Kevin's hips, and grounds his hands there as he presses feverish kisses to the other's jugular. Kevin arches for him, let's him explore further with his pretty lips. 

  
Juyeon pulls away and quirks his head, the desire still heavy around them. "Kevin...tell me right now what you want."

  
"Want you to claim me once and for all. Wanna feel you inside me, Juju."

  
Juyeon nods and dips his head back down to desperately press more kisses into his lover. He's sad to see Kevin's beautiful outfit come off, but he's absolutely ecstatic to worship Kevin's body from head to toe. Juyeon easily removes his own tunic shirt, but leaves his pants on for the time being as he repositions them. 

  
Kevin builds a beautifully soft bed of pink lillies for them to enjoy, so Juyeon lays him out and pushes one of his legs away gently. Juyeon kisses the other on the knuckles and murmurs, "Gonna go slow for you baby. Don't want you to hurt."

  
Kevin nods and watches as Juyeon slicks one of his fingers with his spit. Once he coats the digit enough, he teases Kevin's rim rhythmically. The feeling sends heat down Kevin's spine, and he slightly arches into the sensation. They continue this way for a while, with Juyeon just murmuring bits of praise as Kevin slowly becomes accustomed to this feeling. And once he is, Juyeon spits onto his finger more, and slowly begins to push into the other's heat. Kevin silently gasps, his nerves feeling hot and his body sensitive. 

  
"I-it's like being struck by lightning." he comments breathily. 

  
Juyeon chuckles a bit, as he wiggles his finger. "Feel good?"

  
"Mhmm."

  
"Gonna make it feel better baby." he says as he begins to slowly thrust. Juyeon is good at pacing and steadily builds the pace of his thrusts until he's satisfied with Kevin's noises. They continue that cycle for a bit, until Juyeon's got three fingers in Kevin and the fairy is arching his back so hard that Juyeon twitches at the sight. 

  
After having scissored the other for a few more moments, Juyeon decides it's time to properly fuck his fairy. He removes his trousers and the minute Kevin sees his length, his jaw drops. "That's your cock??"

  
Juyeon laughs. "I know it looks scary but I promise I'll be gentle."

  
Kevin takes a deep breath as Juyeon strokes himself enough to get slippery with slick and lines himself up to Kevin's ass. Then slowly, Juyeon is stretching him. There's a painful burn at first, but the speed is so slow that Kevin isn't in too much pain. 

  
He's probably tense though, because Juyeon leans over to stroke his cock as he pushes into Kevin's ass. Kevin's eyes roll back when Juyeon starts stroking him slowly and the burn of the stretch fades to the recesses of his mind.   
It's when Juyeon let's out a faint hissing sound that Kevin looks down to see that he's at the hilt. Kevin feels full and stretched but in the best possible way. He can still slightly feel the burn, but the sensation is drowned out by the immense waves of pleasure that slowly roll over his body. Kevin wiggles his ass a bit, to stimulate himself and Juyeon. What he gets is a wracking pleasure that numbs the senses in his legs. He throws his head back as the feeling fills him up. 

  
"Fuck Juju...this is...." he trails off, barely able to maintain his composure, let alone complete his sentence. 

  
Juyeon chuckles and tucks some of Kevin's hair away from his eyes. "Yeah? Feels good hm?"

  
"Mmm. Feels so good, so full. Gonna get addicted to how you feel inside of me."

  
Juyeon grips his hips a little tighter when he says that, but Kevin can barely feel that because at the same moment Juyeon starts to shallowly and slowly thrust into him. His girth and his length make Kevin feel like pleasure is bubbling up on every part of his body and the fairy prince quickly becomes breathless as his desire overtakes every part of him. 

  
Juyeon is careful to pace himself with extra caution, as he knows that not only is this Kevin's first time having sex but he's also new to something so thick inside of him. He thrusts in such a way that Kevin can feel the sparks of heat throughout his legs, but minimizes the pleasure he feels. 

  
And even though Juyeon feels less pleasure physically, seeing Kevin go absolutely mad with lust turns him on in a way that he didn't know was even possible. Kevin's body speaks loud and clear to Juyeon- _you're doing this to me. You're taking me apart piece by piece and I'm loving every second of it_. 

  
Before the two of them know it, their pace has quickened, and Juyeon is properly fucking his lover. But to Juyeon it doesn't feel like that. Each thrust he feels like he loses himself more--his claws dig deeper, his moans turn to growls and all the while Kevin responds in kind. His wings flutter furiously, his back arching more and asking for more from Juyeon. 

  
In their little bubble, Juyeon gives Kevin a birthday gift that he hadn't even realized he wanted. 

  
Kevin lets Juyeon wreck him, lets him change their positions just to hit that spot, and more as the two lose themselves in each other. At some point, Juyeon is fucking Kevin in his lap and Kevin boldly grabs the base of both the demon's horns as he rides Juyeon for all he's worth. Juyeon snaps up into Kevin, unable to hold back when his lover has gotten hold of his horns. 

  
Kevin moans at the change of pace. "Fuck yes Juyeon just like that-!"

  
Juyeon takes his hips with purpose this time and drives into the other, the heat just as intoxicating as the noises coming from Kevin's mouth. "My love, my sun, _my fairy_." Juyeon rasps out as he feels his climax coming closer and closer. 

  
Kevin's legs give out when Juyeon utters his words and all he can say before he feels the heat explode in his gut is "Yes _yours_ Juyeon."

  
That's all Juyeon needs to hear to join Kevin in his orgasm and he holds Kevin's hips steady to his as he cums. Kevin whines around him and strokes his length to prolong his orgasm. 

  
When they're both finished, they collapse onto the flower bed, exhaustion seeping into their limbs quickly. Juyeon sits up slightly and turns them so that he can spoon Kevin, who seems unable to move his legs at the moment. 

  
"Juyeon....that was out of this world amazing."

  
Juyeon laughs, but it comes out raspier than usual. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

  
"I...don't know if I'll be able to walk for a while after that."

  
Juyeon grins playfully. "Should I carry you my Prince?"

  
Kevin swats him slightly. "I've got wings for a reason mister." he sighs a bit and looks up at the sky through the vine dome he created. "Might be best if we clean up and get you home. Can't keep you forever."

  
Juyeon pouts, his mood obviously coming down. "You're right and I don't like it." 

  
Kevin strokes his arm. "Don't worry love. I'm not going anywhere."

  
And so with a bit of lethargy, the two eventually get up to clean themselves of the slick and sweat that's coating their bodies. They then redress properly before kissing their farewells while still lightly riding their own highs. 

  
Juyeon knows the road back home quite well, has ridden it enough in the dark and the light to basically be able to navigate with his eyes closed. And he lets his mind wander off as he makes the trip through the thick neutral forest that seperates the two castles.

  
But something feels ominous as he hands his steed off to one of the horse tamers and he tries to keep his cool as he cautiously enters his own castle. 

  
As soon as he steps inside he smells thick waves of sage and sharply clean linen and he instantly knows why he sensed something ominous in the first place. 

  
Juyeon lingers by the doors, lets himself wonder about why Hyunjae could be waiting for him downstairs, before he decides that he best not try to hide where he'd been. After all, vampires have extremely sensitive noses and with all his years Hyunjae must already smell the warmth rolling off Juyeon's body. 

  
To get to the stairs that lead to his private quarters, Juyeon has to cross through the piano room downstairs and he's sure that's where Hyunjae awaits him. He comes to the room's threshold only to see Hyunjae carefully setting his goblet down when he hears the demon's footsteps. Juyeon can tell that the older is fighting an unmistakable grin that threatens to break on his face.

  
Unfortunately for him, Juyeon purposefully strides past him in a blur of color and light. Hyunjae hates being ignored, but he doesn't show it--at least not to Juyeon of all people. The vampire is not a fool and knows well how to play with Juyeon. So he just as quickly rises from his seat and follows the prince to his chambers. It isn't until Juyeon is disrobing that he acknowledges Hyunjae's presence. The older man admires longingly at the demon prince's chiseled physique before clearing his throat and meeting his eyes. "Where are you coming back from in such a rush, Juyeonie?"

  
Juyeon rolls his eyes, barely even trying to hide the gesture as he lets his shirt slip off his shoulders and pool in a heap on the ground. "It doesn't matter."

  
Hyunjae flashes a cold yet knowing smile and closes the distance between them. "You can't lie to me, Juyeon. I can smell the light on you. Did you go to the outlands again?" 

  
Juyeon turns his face and avoids his question. "Why are you even here Hyunjae?"

  
"Oh hush. You know my father likes to romp around this place as if he's the king. And besides, we're arranged to marry soon so-"

  
Juyeon looks up, the blatant disgust prominent in his eyes. He searches Hyunjae's perfect features for a hint of emotion, anything. He's known Hyunjae his entire life and somehow has never seen the man's mask fall. "I thought I made it quite clear as of yet that I don't want to marry you Hyunjae."

  
Hyunjae cracks a smile, and under the bright eerie light of the moon with his hair shining so delicately, he almost looks beautiful. But Juyeon has seen beauty in the form of glittery eyes and colorful smiles and he can never look at any creature the same way again. 

  
Hyunjae flashes the younger his pointed canines and grins maliciously. "Unfortunately, what you want doesn't matter, Juyeonie."

  
Juyeon shoves him away, a little harder than he means to. It's only later as he's showering that he realizes that Hyunjae is right. He can't have what he wants. 

~~~

Kevin gets the worst news two months later. 

  
It comes in the form of a delicate envelope, one made of delicate gray paper and a single black ribbon wrapped around it. He's got no clue as to what it could be, but when he opens it he feels like he's been scorched by the hottest fire. 

  
" _A coronation invitation._ " the fairy thinks dejectedly, only able to think of the inevitable time limit that may come once Juyeon takes the throne. He wants to be happy like Ayeon is when she lays eyes on the invitation, he screech of joy echoing through their castle. But all Kevin can think of is his beautiful love in the arms of a handsome vampire. 

  
So Kevin decides he won't lose like this. He goes out into the garden-- _his safehaven, their little world_ \--and flutters all the way to the horse stalls at the back of the garden. He silently thanks his father for forcing him to learn how to ride a horse, despite his wings. Kevin mounts his favorite black horse and trots her over to the golden gates that mark the end of their territory. He takes a deep breath and unlocks them, then relocks them easily before riding off into the unknown.

  
Luckily, Kevin had asked Juyeon several times about how hard of a ride between their castles is. He said he had easily gotten used to it, and that the grass barely grew on the well-beaten path. So Kevin followed the beaten path true, and in less than an hour's time, he was riding up to a dark castle with silvery iron gates. 

  
The first person he sees is a beautiful and lanky woman with wispy silver hair. She must smell him, because she turns around near immediately and he pretty amber eyes widen in horror. Kevin thinks he sees her running at him, but then he blinks and she's right in front of the gates.

  
"You should not be here, my Prince." she says, her voice quiet but commanding.

  
"You know who I am?" Kevin asks as he dismounts and soothes his horse. 

  
"Of course I do. My Liege has hardly gone a day without singing your praises." she looks back, as if expecting someone to be listening or watching. "I can ensure your safety, if only you promise to listen to what I say. Do you trust me?"

  
Kevin arches an eyebrow. "Well...I must know something first. What's your name?"

  
The girl smiles a bit, as if she understands why he asks this question. "Rex, my Prince."

  
Kevin nods and hands his horse to her. "Then I do."

  
"Excellent." she says. "Try to fall into step with me."

  
He nods as she takes the reigns from him and leads his horse to a discreet corner in their own horse stalls. He has a little trouble matching her, because for her height she takes such long strides, but he gets the hang of it. 

  
As the approach the doors of the castle, she stops and turns to him. "My magic is not strong enough to completely disguise your scent. You smell very... _bright_ and we creatures of the dark are quite sensitive to that."

  
Kevin nods. "I will try not to compromise you, Rex."

  
She blinks a bit, clearly not expecting that answer. "Well then, let's go." she says and pushes the doors open. 

  
The inside of their castle is different than his own. Where his has large windows that span from ceiling to floor and a mess of color all over the walls, this castle has none of that. The floors are marbled and cold, the walls are painted a garish gray, with small shining black studs sewn into the wallpaper. The windows are practically nonexistent except at the highest point on the walls, wrapping around the edge of the ceiling and giving every room a halo-like ring of light. 

  
The longer they walk, the more Kevin thinks they're making progress. Rex informed him that she took the long way from the back of the castle grounds to avoid running into anyone. The last thing Kevin needs is to run into Juyeon's father. 

  
At one point however, Kevin suddenly stops in the middle of the piano room. Rex had said this area would be the hardest area to cross, but it's the only way to get directly to the other's private quarters. Rex turns to tell him to walk in turn with her when she sees that the fairy is staring straight across, at the bottom of the winding staircase. Rex turns her head to see that Hyunjae is merely a few feet from her. Rex has always held contempt for Hyunjae, being that she sees him as the person who muddied her friendship with the young prince. And Hyunjae knows well of her contempt so he doesn't even bother trying to speak to her. He strides past her to stand right in front of the fairy. He's about the same height as Juyeon, but with a much leaner stature. He eyes the fairy up and down for a moment before scoffing. "Now I must ask why there's a fairy in my castle."

  
Rex moves in the blink of an eye, already in front of Kevin and pushing him behind her. "This isn't your castle, Hyunjae."

  
"Not yet." he muses lightly, something nasty tinging his voice. 

  
Rex grips Kevin's wrist behind her. "Not ever if I've got any say in it."

  
Hyunjae yanks her away from the fairy. "Well then it's good that you don't have any say, orphan." Rex snarls at that and Hyunae raises his eyebrow. "Show your true colors then, mutt. See how His Majesty will react to that."

  
"You lay a single finger on him and not even you will be able to escape my Liege's wrath."

  
Hyunjae turns fully to face her. "Perhaps you've forgotten your standing here, Rex. I am your _lord_ on my worst day, and on my best I will be your Majesty. So if I were you, I'd watch how you speak to me."

  
Rex doesn't back down. "I'm not afraid of you, _my Lord_." she spits back like acid. "You may have everyone else in this castle cowering, but I've known you since we were young. Every trick you've ever pulled, every situation you've twisted to your favor, and every lie you told to worm your way closer to Juyeon--I know of all of it. So believe me when I say this--if you _ever_ sit on that throne with him, that will be the day I hurdle myself off this castle's highest balcony."

  
Hyunjae laughs, the malice poignant on his face. "Trust me darling, the day I sit on that throne I'll make sure to subject you to something _far_ worse than that."

  
Kevin can't bear to see the way her face breaks after that, so he steps into Hyunjae's line of view. "I'm going to see Juyeon."

  
Hyunjae's evil smirk curls into a barely hidden frown. "On what authority do you have to decide such a thing?"

  
"On the authority of being the fairy prince. Now step aside."

  
Hyunjae lets his surprise show for just a moment, and Kevin decides he has nothing more to say to the other as he walks past him. 

  
But the vampire doesn't let him get away so easily. He turns quickly on his heel and captures Kevin's wrist. "Just a moment, my Prince. Just because you're royal doesn't mean you get to just--"

  
"It does and I will."

  
Hyunjae really does snarl this time and Kevin hides the chill that runs down his legs. "No--you of all people will not take him from me. Not when I've waited this long--"

  
Kevin fully turns around to face him. "And yet just from how you speak of him, you know that you've long lost him. Before he even met me."

  
Hyunjae digs his fingers into Kevin's wrist and the fairy reflexively calls vines from underneath the castle to pull him away from the vampire. When Kevin finally meets his eyes once more, the vampire's red hair matches the red flush that colors his cheeks with anger. "His father will never allow you to take that throne next to him."

  
Kevin looks at the man in front of him, colored with rage and jealousy and laughs a bit. "Well. Good thing his father won't be king anymore."

  
That realization only seems to anger Hyunjae further, but he lets the fairy ascend the stairs and disappear out of sight. Rex quickly follows on his heels, rushing past Hyunjae to escort the fairy prince to the correct door. 

  
Hyunjae is left alone to contemplate just how much he might lose--and wonders just how far his love for Juyeon spans. 

~~~

"He met Hyunjae??" Juyeon coughs, his tea almost clattering off his nightstand.

  
Rex hangs her head. "I'm so sorry my Liege. I tried to use my magic to shield him but--"

  
Juyeon scrambles out of bed, his dark hair an absolute mess. Kevin appreciates seeing him in this light--not done up at all, just him. "My love, are you hurt?"

  
Kevin allows himself to be kissed on the cheek. "Not at all, Juyeonie. But, I was right--he's quite the looker. You sure do have a slew of beautiful people around you."

  
Rex scurries closer to them and gently places her hands on Kevin's shoulders. "You should be proud how you handled him. I've never seen Hyunjae get so...worked up. And there you were, graceful and lithe just like a fairy prince should be."

  
Kevin giggles, and Juyeon sees the warmth cloud Rex's eyes. "Seems like he won't be bothering you for much longer then, hm?"

  
Juyeon sighs. "Oh, my love. If only things worked so easily here. Jae will most certainly bring the matter to his father. You will want to proceed with caution and not go out at night. The vampires might mark you as an enemy."

  
Kevin pouts. "I'm sure they will. Luckily, my father and mother are unmatched when it comes to power. And Ayeonie...well she's getting there. She'll surely become a great woman, as my mother is now. It'll be a magnificent day when she takes our throne." he looks back at Juyeon. "The reason I came here today is...I realized that I'm not content to be left behind. I don't want a life without you in it, Juju."

  
Juyeon's face colors immediately and Rex laughs. "Ah so that's the kind of relationship you two have." she giggles under her breath. "It's cute, really."

  
Juyeon nods and clasps their hands together. "I already made it quite clear that I wanted nothing except to make you mine. If I must give up my crown for that, I will."

  
Kevin's eyes widen. "No no no, you don't need to do that. I can be your Persephone, Juju."

  
"You're calling me the Greek god of the underworld?"

  
"Well you've got the horns for it." he snipes back and Juyeon can't help the chuckle that escapes him. 

  
"Juju...before I leave, may I ask you something?" Kevin muses as they descend the stairs together, now with Juyeon fully dressed. 

  
Rex follows closely behind them, but she gives them enough distance that Kevin doesn't feel too embarrassed asking this question. "M-May I meet your father someday?"

  
Juyeon halts suddenly and looks about ready to freeze in place. "Kevin--"

  
"I just feel that...if you continue to hide me away from him, then it really is like what we have is taboo. And I want nothing more than to prove that it's possible for two people--princes, of all things--of different species can be happily in love. What better way to set an example than to bring it to the one person who you know has no value for my people?"

  
"That's exactly why I'm nervous. He tried to...destroy your family and your people and hell knows what he might've tried had he known of your existence."

  
"Juyeon. We are both adults. You're about to ascend your throne. Don't you want to show him that you're no longer his to control?"

  
Juyeon bites his lip. He knows Kevin is right and that he shouldn't be afraid to introduce Kevin but some part of him is afraid that his father will start another war to end their relationship and the last thing Juyeon wants is the burden of a senseless war on his shoulders. 

  
But Kevin looks through him, knows that his fear is really a fear of loss. Of losing the love of his life, losing his home, and losing the last person he can call family. Kevin knows about Juyeon's mother, a seemingly gentle sorceress with the sharpest tongue anyone had ever seen and the wit to match it. Juyeon had heard stories of his mother being ruthless when it came to setting his father in line. Sorceresses were a species that was looked down upon by all those that inhabited the dark forest, so it was no surprise that she was very accustomed to setting others in line. Hyunjae's father had once told Juyeon that his mother Lucia had even more of a temper than his father, just that she was better at masking it. All the suitors his father had (which he assumed was many, since his father had a reputation for being quite the charmer back then) were no match for Lucia. Hyunjae had even said the moment he laid eyes on her during the full moon ball that he was so astounded by her beauty and he'd be surprised if she didn't easily become queen. And thus started a whirlwind romance between them that lasted only a few months before she was named queen. Soon after, she announced her pregnancy and Juyeon was born. 

  
It was after Juyeon was born that she became ill, for giving birth to a demon child was no easy matter, even for those who themselves were demons. Her body became weak, and she was bedridden just two years after Juyeon had been born. She still doted on him dearly, and held him close at night, but as Hyunjae's father told him these stories, Juyeon admitted he had no recollection of them. And the weakness never let up, as she slowly became more and more fragile until her body was unable to sustain itself any longer. And something withered in Juyeon when Hyunjae told him forlornly that he remembered the day his dad swore never to take another lover. 

  
Juyeon thinks of his father in that light, at this moment--wanting to believe that his father of all people would understand falling in love with someone so irrefutably connected to him that parting with them is literally like parting with a piece of himself. He wants to believe that his mother's death is what made his father so damnably cold and indifferent to everything and everyone around him. And he so desperately wants to believe that once he sees the infinite love that Juyeon has for Kevin that he will finally shed his aloof nature and allow Juyeon happiness for the rest of his days with the man he loves. 

  
Kevin's gaze is still locked on him, looking through to his heart. 

  
"Yes, Kevin. You can meet him during my coronation ceremony. I'll introduce you." he finally breathes out, and the sparkles that burst from Kevin's eyes make the edges of Juyeon's world blur with hazy delight. 

~~~

The coronation is upon them in what feels like the blink of an eye. Kevin is throwing on his best formal wear and quickly works on helping Ayeon into her impossibly fluffy dress. She's gotten better at controlling her enchantment--she's named her ability to charm anyone around her into a dream-like state the Haze--but she's nervous so Kevin can feel his fingers moving slower than he'd like them to. She hiccups a bit and he returns to normal (she gives him an apologetic nod) as he finishes buttoning up her dress. Then they, along with their parents, get into the carriage waiting outside the castle gates for them that's to whisk them off to the Onyx Castle. 

  
The carriage ride feels much shorter than normal, probably because Kevin is a bundle of nerves. His parents explicitly know of his relationship with Juyeon, and he also informed them that he's to meet King Jun formally and will be introduced as Juyeon's primary suitor. His parents are obviously worried, but don't wish to intervene in the path their son has chosen, for which he is overwhelmingly grateful. 

  
They arrive in a blur, and Kevin can barely process the things going on around him. He sees dark creatures decked out in their finest attire, and he in turn gets some stares of his own. Some look positively malicious and others look about ready to faint over his visuals. Either way, he leads Ayeon to the row that's specifically for their family and they quickly take their seats while being handed beverages. 

  
It's not long after that the coronation begins, and Kevin gets a good look at Juyeon's father, His Majesty King Jun. He's got a strong nose and jaw, which is most likely where Juyeon gets it from. But his father's hair is a coppery brown hair, where Juyeon's is a slightly blue-tinted black. Really, what they share is the same look in their eyes. Warm but fierce, and never wavering. His father looks just as proud a king as if it were his coronation and not his son's. Nevertheless, King Jun begins his speech, fully reciting the promises and struggles that come with leading a kingdom. Kevin watches with interest, wondering how this man had it in him to start an entire war. 

  
It's been nearly an hour and a half when King Jun finally stops his speech. "Well," he rumbles, "I figure that's enough out of me, hm? Shall we welcome the new king?"

  
And at once, applause echoes deafeningly through the ballroom. King Jun smirks a bit, and nods. "Seems like the subjects are quite eager. No sense in keeping up appearances for the sake of it."

  
When Kevin lays eyes on Juyeon, he feels a fire boil in his blood like he's never felt before. Flowers bloom from his palms and Ayeon giggles at his reaction when he realizes what he's done. 

  
Juyeon is dressed head to toe in white, a tradition Rex had informed him of just a week prior. The other guests were not allowed to wear white--only the new king could. Kevin feels pride swell in him--Juyeon looks like a vision. He's decked out in a tight undershirt that has a small ruffled collar around his throat. He's got a long white cape trimmed with deep red fur hanging off his shoulders and his trousers are billowy but high waisted. He's cinched the trousers with something that looks like a corset in the same deep red as the trim of his coat. 

  
But truly, it's the crown that makes Kevin weak in the knees. It sits atop his head, his horns looking like they spiral up and out of it like some beautiful, unreal sculpture. He's slicked his hair back, save for a few strands that are too short and fall just above his eyes. Everything about him screams powerful and Kevin can't help leaning forward as Juyeon crosses to where his father stands. His father pulls out a large black jeweled box and sets it onto the podium stand. At the same time, Juyeon drops to one knee and lets his father remove the golden crown that sat atop his head. 

  
The crowd seems to hold their breath as King Jun utters, "Just as we have every generation previous, bring prosperity to our kingdom once more my son." Juyeon dips his head a bit lower as if in response and his father opens the black box he'd set down earlier. 

  
Even from their distance, Kevin can see the jewels shining brilliantly on the crown his father gently lowers to his head. As Juyeon stands, he sheds his cape and lets it pool around his feet. Kevin just about melts when he stamps his foot and everyone rises. Kevin and his family follow suit. Juyeon pauses, but only looks forward as he stamps his foot once more, signaling all to bow. His parents even bow, so Kevin bends forward as well. 

  
His father jovially roars out, "All hail my son, His Majesty King Juyeon!"

  
Kevins ears ring from the yells and cheers that bounce off of the walls of the ballroom. The festivities then go into full swing, with music and dancing and food. Kevin smiles and thinks that this isn't so different than his own kingdom's parties and is happy to mingle with curious creatures who see him not as a threat but as an honored guest. He entertains them, as does Ayeon--happy to show that peace is not so far off. 

  
But clearly there are those who whisper, who want the creatures that stink of light to go back from whence they came, and Kevin can do nothing but smile as they try to tear him apart at the seams. 

  
It's Ayeon though, who is particularly skilled in making the whispers stop. Partially because of her enchantment, but also because she's that darn charming. She wraps peaceful onlookers and naysayers alike around her tiny little fingers. She dances, flutters her wings, and laughs--and people immediately follow. Kevin isn't surprised. 

  
What he is surprised by is when Hyunjae approaches him, with Rex quickly following behind. 

  
"My Prince." Hyunjae greets him, bringing the fairy's knuckle to his lips. 

  
"Hyunjae." he nods, expecting the other to briskly walk away. 

  
Instead the vampire stays put. "We've been asked to retrieve you. By His Majesty."

  
Kevin's ears light up at that, and he feels like time slows down as the two lead him up to the area where Juyeon is seated. Kevin can see that different heads of houses are paying him respect, and he's polite as ever as he smiles at them and pats their hands. 

  
But when Kevin is escorted up the small steps, Juyeon stands from his chair and flanks Kevin's side immediately. Hyunjae and Rex fall back, kneeling behind them as the two princes stand in front of King Jun. 

  
Juyeon clears his throat, but his eyes remain unwaveringly set on his father. "Father, this is the man I told you about."

  
His father looks Kevin over very slowly, almost meticulously, and Kevin worries his bottom lip when he believes Lord Jun will disapprove. "A fairy, son?"

  
Juyeon doesn't take the bait. "Yes, Father. The fairy prince, actually."

  
His father nods. "So you've given up on taking Hyunjae as your husband?"

  
Juyeon takes Kevin's hand in his. "Father--taking Hyunjae as my husband was to appease you. I love Hyunjae, but I'm not in love with him. Prince Kevin--he's the only suitor I've ever wanted to spend the entirety of my life with."

  
Lord Jun arches a brow, and Kevin is sure he sees something akin to pride swell in his eyes. "Are you asking me if I approve, Juyeon?"

  
Juyeon steels himself. "No, Father. I'm telling you that this is who I will marry. Unless you want me to become the only impotent king of this kingdom, you will not change my mind."

  
Lord Jun stares at him for a moment and Kevin feels everyone around them go rigid, preparing themselves for a wrath. But Kevin saw it as soon as Juyeon had taken his hand. "P-pardon me, Lord Jun but...you're quite happy right now, right?"

  
Lord Jun's gaze flickers to Kevin before a wide grin breaks on his face and he laughs heartily. Kevin slightly startles at the noise, not sure at first if the sound is genuine or not. But he looks to Juyeon and sees a joyous but stupefied expression on his face. Before Kevin can say anything else, Lord Jun scoops his son into his arms. Kevin gasps a little (and hears both Rex and Hyunjae following suit) at the gesture. 

  
"F-father--!!"

  
"Hush boy, let me be proud for a moment."

  
Juyeon holds back a chuckle as his dad sets him back on his feet. "Seriously Father, I thought you would fly into some horrendous fury."

  
Lord Jun sighs. "I've had enough fighting. That war taught me many lessons I thought I'd learned. I guess your mother balanced me out much more than I had let myself believe." he pauses and Kevin thinks he sees a watery look fill the former king's eyes. "You look so much like her. And you got that wit from her too."

  
Juyeon looks like his brain isn't catching up to all that's just happened in the span of a few minutes but Kevin allows himself to finally look at the other and he feels love wash over him again. " _Mine....this man is all mine for all of eternity._ " he thinks, and unbeknownst to him, he once again blooms flowers from his palms. Except this time, they bloom all over the ground around him and even his nice pants too.   
Lord Jun delights in the roses the most, so Kevin blooms some more, of several different colors and doesn't bother shooing them away. The color quite suits these castle's walls. 

~~~

Ayeon cries and cries as Kevin gets ready for his wedding. 

  
"Ayeonie, don't cry like that. Your face will become all puffy."

  
She sniffles a bit. "Does this mean that I'm not going to see you as much oppa?"

  
Kevin ruffles her red curls, the ones he'd been envious of when they were younger. "You can come visit as much as you want, love. That castle won't be as closed off as it has always been, okay? Come visit oppa whenever you'd like."

  
"Can I really?"

  
"Mhm! But remember than once you turn 15, your big girl wings will start to grow in and you'll have to take your lessons more seriously. After all, you'll be the one leading our kingdom in no time. Promise oppa you'll do well for ma and pa?"

  
Ayeon nods and wipes her tears away. "Promise!"

  
Kevin giggles as the sorceress maids finish dressing him and his sister. Juyeon insisted on having Ayeon as the flower girl, and Rex begged to be the ring bearer. Kevin laughed at both of their antics together as they had practiced.

  
Now on the big day, Kevin had no knots in his stomach. He didn't know what Juyeon was wearing, except that it'd have the same red accents as his coronation outfit had. As for Kevin, the dark forest tradition was to have the 'bride' wear something blue. Kevin insisted on being called a groom as well, but he couldn't resist wearing the color blue and so he'd let Rex pick his outfit. 

  
The ceremony was meant to be small, as they'd have a bigger day of festivities to celebrate Kevin's ascension to the throne as King. Hyunjae told him to expect an even grander celebration than normal--as the creatures of this side of the forest were, for the most part, excited to finally feel able to interact with the other species on the other side of the forest. So for this day, they decided to just have their families and close friends or advisors. 

  
As Kevin was walking down the aisle, escorted by both his mother and father, he wondered how he got here in a matter of a year. It seemed that the past months had flown by in a blur of events. One day he'd met Juyeon, the next he was being dragged into the other's dreams, and the next he was living those dreams in reality. He'd thought about if they were destined to be, and he'd decided the answer was no. It's too easy to say that they were meant to be together, as if they hadn't fought a very palpable taboo that was still alive and well even as they were saying their vows to each other. Of course there'd be people who opposed and wanted nothing but to perpetuate an idea that light creatures and dark creatures weren't meant to be around each other. 

  
But in the end, Kevin loves that he was able to watch Juyeon slowly build up his own confidence--to feel that he didn't need to hide his feelings or the person he was in love with. He loves to watch how Juyeon's relationship with his father has been healing and blossoming into something much healthier for both of them. 

  
Juyeon smiles into the kiss that seals their marriage, into what will become their entire lives. And when the sun sets on the Onyx Castle, leaving dreamy purple clouds in its wake, Kevin gets kissed again and again by Juyeon, until he's completely breathless. Kevin drags Juyeon back to the dining room so that they can actually eat instead of making out in the next room over. Giggles bubble over Ayeon's lips when she points out how puffy his lips look. Kevin makes a mental note to give her a good whack for the color he turns after she makes that comment. 

  
The sun sets on their wedding, and Kevin slinks into Juyeon's private quarters, which are technically his now as well, and slide into bed with him. Juyeon's got his hands all over the fairy, but Kevin assures him he just wants to spend their first night together in his impossibly large bed.

  
When morning comes, Kevin awakes to flowers coming out of the floor and the bed and even some on the ceiling. He brushes some fallen petals from Juyeon's hair, which wakes the demon king up. A lazy smile crosses his face, and just like that spring has bloomed in the fairy's heart. 

**Author's Note:**

> to be honest i wasn't really sure what i was writing towards the end LMAO i just kept writing as the inspiration took hold! so if the end seems choppy that's why, but tbh that was kinda the intention? i sorta wanted the end to come off as little snapshots of what was going on, but still giving insight into what they were thinking <3
> 
> so!!! i hope you all enjoyed~ pls consider dropping kudos/comments bc they genuinely make my day!! and even if no one reads this fic i'm v v proud of how i've grown as a writer, just in this process alone so im patting myself on the back! but also i have a hefty amount of fics planned out so pls stay tuned!
> 
> and lastly! feel free to yell at me on twt/cc (same username as here) !!! have a beautiful day lovelies <3


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